Just a general query as to what everyone thinks about the ELF publications Parma Eldalamberon and Vinyar Tengwar; in regard to both collecting them, and, perhaps more importantly, the original Tolkien content.

Rather than buy individual volumes (although I bought some originally) I've been quite happy just buying the collected volumes of VT --you get all the content, the little bound volumes will probably hold up better over the years, and they can stand nice on the shelf.

Parma Eldalamberon I haven't bought at all. Now, with copies OOP, and with them being quite expensive if you were thinking of acquiring all of them, I'm not that sure what volumes to purchase. Taking my collector hat off for a second, I'm tempted to just go with trying to acquire the issues Neil has up on TolkienBooks as containing original Tolkien content. I've been reading through the last few years of Tolkien Studies, and Parma Eldalamberon is always reviewed quite favourably; & the content does genuinely sound quite interesting --i.e. quite a lot of the material is not just of a philological nature, there's a good deal of collateral legendarium material too.

What does anyone else think? I'm caught between my primary & fundamental interest in Tolkien's writings, and my collector instinct not to start buying up another 'area' which might be quite expensive, and which I may not be able to (fully) complete. Sad, I know. But what can I say...

BH

Posted on: 2011/5/8 7:16

_________________You drive a hard bargain – you can have it for £10 all-in – one consolation (for you) is that you do not have to hear the cries of my children, for bread...

Concerning Parma Eldalamberon - I have bought all of the available issues (quite a few issues with original Tolkien content are out of print, sadly).

If I had to choose between only one of the issues, I would buy PE17, "Words, Phrases and Passages in The Lord of the Rings", which is one of the most important posthumously published writings in my opinion.

Unless you're seriously interested in Tolkien's invented languages, PE17 is the true gem among the later PE issues.